Fodder-cutter.



J. DICK.

FODDER GUTTER.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 4, 190e 974,776. Patented N0v.8,191o

a SHEETS-SHEET 1 WITNESSES Ma/91M,

J. 310K. FODDEB GUTTER. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1908.

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FODDBR GUTTER.

MPLIUATION FILED snm/.1. 4, 190s.

Patented. Gv. 8i 19H).

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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.n 7n/JM@ MMU. MY?? HTTORNEY JSFEH DECK, 0F CANTON, GHR).

FQ'DDERPUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

lfaterited om el,

tpplieaton 'tiled September a, 19GB. Serial No. fit-51,634.

-To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JOSEPH Dion, a citin zen of the United States,residing at Can ton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain newand useful Improvements-iii loddenCutters, of whichthe following is a specication.

The invention relates to, machines for cutting forage; and theimprovements pertain to the construction ot the pneumatic blower case inwhich the cutting-knife and the blower-fan ly Wheel is rotatablymounted, to the construction of' the feed rolls, to the devices forcleaning the feed-roll teeth and for forming a throat between thefeed-rolls and the cutter-bar, and to the mechanism for adjust-ing, theupper feed roll.

A Well-known construction of the blower case is to join two separatecircular side plates with a series of overlapping interchangeableperipheral plates by means of adjustable peripheral rds, the inner sidesof the peripheral plates being provided with grooves'adapted to receivethe edges'ot the side plates. As suoli separate side and peH ripheralplates harefrequently been made ot cast iron, it has been toundpractically ini-- possible to construct and assemble the parts so thatthe joints will be tightly closed and dust-proof, which difticultyarises largely by reason of the rigidity of the respdotive parts, andthe practical impossibility (of forming or finishing the abutting` partstoexactly lit Aeach other in all positions of relativo ar-y rangement.This difficulty is overcome by making the peripheral part of thenblowerout of one or inore sheet metal sections hav ing annular corrugations intheir edges adapted to tit over the edges of the side plates, withsuitable devices whereby the sheet metal sections are clampedv aroundthe side plates, inwhich relation ot the parts the resilience of thesheet metal permits the same to neatly fit and clamp .the edges of theplates at all points irrespective of any ordinary inequalities inthefinish thereof,

Fodder cutters are utilized to reduce so many kinds o't forage and othermaterials and to do the Work under such trying` oonditions, that it hasbeen found desir-@ble to' make the feed rolls with a series ot annularrow's ot4 teeth. thereon quite close 'together and arranged so that theteeth ot therows on one roll will mesh between the teeth of rows on theother roll Whei :he two rolls are brought near together. Difficulty hasbeen experienced in providing means for cleining:

the teeth of Vsuch rolls to prevent the l 'from being carried around therolls and clogging; the machine; and when piatcs have been employed to`bridge the. interval between the lower roll and the cutter diliticultyhas occurred by reason oi the 'friction of the plates on the roll and ofthe clogging of the forage against the cutter bar on sides and unfneatlu such plateM These ditiiculties are wercoine by provini ries ofpreferably adjusta e clcr gers between. the iespecti l and extending thesaine tir-ward toy forni a throatteriniiiatin over and. adjacent to thecutter bar. each cleaning; finger heirl ,p erably independentlysupported so that it will not bear either upon the roll or upon thecutter barw ln the larger fodder cutters, it has generally been founddesirable 'to provide a car-y riage for the upper roller which will notonly permit .it to move upward and donnward but to tilt somewhat in itslateral. pusition to accommodate the varying tlfiioltness ot' theforage, but in thesn aller'nnicliiir and especially when the for arrarin uniform bundles for teedin chine, and furthermore when i rolls'formed with teeth and sup'iilenientcd by cleaning' lingers as hereinset forth., this tilting adjustment is not essential, and itissoi'netimes more irriportant that the rolls shall be irinly preseiitedto cach other in parallel relation andthat 'the upper roll can f beconveniently raised troni the lower roll Whenever it is desired to haveaccess te the throat ot the machine. These obje ts are atn tained bysuspending' the upper 'feed roll from a spring-miuroiled bracket ortraine and to provide a, handle by which the saine. can be readilyrotated by manual means to raise the roll..

The various objects of the invention.,

which are thus set forth in general terms,-

are attained by the' construction', mecha nisin and arrangementillustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part here spectiveview of the tion or the endet' the part thereof showing the feed rollsand the lower portion ofv the adjacent cose; Fig. 3, ey vertical sectionof the blower cese, transverse its exis; Fig. ya detached elevator pipecoup ing showingenly one arm of the pipe bracket; Fig 5B e detachedperspective View: of the ordinary peripheral bend couplinr; Fig: G, efragmentary sectional view il ustretrng one peripherel edge joint of thecese; a detached sectional View o t' the feed transverse their' axes,showing ajznodiiied form of the throat cleaning lingers; Fig. 8, afragmentary sectional view of one end of the lower feed roll onlline8-8, Fig; 73' Fig; 9,' a plan viewvof. the upper feed roll supportinglbracket; Fig; 10, e sectional elevathe bridge plate appliedthe'reto;Fig. 11,11 detached W* perspective view' plate; und Fig. l2, a, crosssection of the feed trough on line 12--12, FiglO.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. `VTheblower case is composed of the two side plates 1 and l, and e, sheetmetal periphernl bend which is ineterablyl nitide in two sections 2 fend2n ioined togetherV by the hinge brackets `3 and 3a and 'the pipebrackets /land fle, The peripheral edges of the side plates are`tormedwith thev middle -lat :tace 5 and the lateral beveled faces 6,

and the edges of the peripheral bend sections are curved to form thecorrugations 7 which. ere mede of such o cross section that they must besprung or expanded to lit' the beveled feces of the edgesy es shown 1inFig. ,6; and the middle'portion of the peripheral bend is preferablycrowned or erched'but- Ward in its cross section, to givethe band as i oWhole some lateral as well as longitudinal elasticity, es shown inlligufg.

The' peripherel bend 4is though not' necessarily medeintwo sections, andthe lower or mein section 2 preferably embraces more than heli.' of theloiver portion of the side plates, so that when placed around the plates-it will be. retained 'thereon by the spring of: the metal. Thesetivo.sections4 are coupled together by the hinge breclfets 3 nud which ereriv` eted to the respective adjacent ends7 and the 'hinge bearings arepreferably mede in the form ci' the hooks 8 end 8 Whiohnre adeptto'engage over the hinge pinlzle 9 by nielus oi which the peripheralsections orc readily .engaged and disengaged. The end l0 oi theperipheral section 2iL is preferably extended. beyond'tlic hinge bracket3'l perso as to underlep the .taining to this perthingelbracket 3pertaining;- to the peripheral section 2 thereby making o tight' liointbctween the ports et the hinge.

To the other lends ofthe peripheral-hamlsections are riveted thecouplingbroclrets 4 re 7 dans feed trough showing- 4ci? one bridge:

preferably alineens goti" `to the end of the which connects ,the sidearms of i i The ily wheel l5 is v 16 are Secured to this ,theseenlargements are yblre of i one-tightly closes these joints, thus makingend being also riveted to the respective sides A of the outlet orelevator pipe 11 leading from the blower,

main peripheral section 2. The yoke 4b the bracket Il is' also rivetedto the Vdischarge pipe, and is provided with the Harige 12 which'underlepsthe bracket 4 on the lid peripheral therewith. e

The elornpingboltsl, one oneacb side, connect the brackets 4tend 4 ofthe pipe coupling, and when the parts' are assembledthese'bolts areadapted to engage the ears 13a and 13b tightly clamp the peripheralben-d' sections arouudthe edges of the side plates, In so doing the edgecorrugetions of thebend sections are sprung orfexpended to tand clampthe beveled ed es of. the plates, and the resiliencei the and-sectionspermits them to t tightly against the edges of the plates at all pointsin their peripheral edges, thereby melting a, neet which pipe is alsoriveted' section, thus .making o close joint on the coupling bracketsand to v and tightjoint therewith. The Apipe bracket sections `are,provided With the grooves'- i4 and le the Walls of which are adapted totit over end clamp the peripherol edges of the oornpletlng theperipheral closure of the cose; end the lapping of the .bandsectionlirder 'the opposite hinge-section and of the one pipe bracket under theother side plates, thus :1 'substantially dustLtight cese. lt is evidentthat the discharge pipe can be adjusted to various positions by merelyloosening the 'clamping bolts and that the lid section con e-lopened upand detached by removing the' o ts.

preferably made in the The cutting bla'des 'as Wheel and the fans 1.7 onand extendedbeyond the peripheries oi' thewheel end ere preferblyintegral therewith, as shown. 'lhe transverse enlargements'l are formedon the torni of n solid disk.

are provided u veer sides of the fans respectively at and beyondthe'periphery of the Wheel, and in, formed the preferably tapered holes19 in which additional counterbalancing Weights, 'preferably the sheetsof lead 20, are inserted and wedged.

lly this arrangement, the wheel can be clelicotely balanced by addingone or more sheets in the. various fan apertures es may be reuired; andby utilizingthe location of the ons :it and outside the periphery of theWheel Jfor this purpose, the ed'ectiveness of the counterholnncingWeights is increased.

Finch series ot' cylinrlric sectors 2l mounted on the respective shafts22 and 22 by'mezinsiof the intervening collars 2l,- to vwhich collarsthe feed roll is preterebly mede of a i :forward ed es 2C and 26H oi theteeth are n n n n ,y n e vprerersrbly curved to facihtate theirwitndrawai from the forage. One cleaningr tinger 27 or 27 1s locatedbetween each row of teeth, on the side of the roll which is pre-V sentedto theopposingroll,andinthe oit the lower roll each linger 2'? is curveddown- 'ard aronnd thelorward side ol? the cylindric body of the roll toa pivotal bearing on the transversely lmounted' har 25, located belowvthe forward side of the roll and eX- tending between and secured to theside platesA 29 of the machine frame; v and the other ends of the lowerlingen' are extended rearward from the upper side of ithe roll' andafter spanning' the interval between the roll and the adjacent cutterbar-'30, terroinate above but not in contact with the cntter haar, thelower edge 3l of the rear endet the finger beingr preferably beveled toreduce the thickness of the extreme end of the finger. i

The rear ends of the lower fingers snp ported on the legs 32 which maybe either -pivotally riveted to the fingers as at in Fig. 2, or formedintegral therewith. as shown in the modified forni in Fig. The lowerlends of these legs are normally snpportcd on the transverse bar 34 whichefr-- tends between and is secured to the side plates 29, which barpasses through the slotted ends 35 of the legs, which slots are soshaped that the respective fingers and legs can be slightly oscillatedon the pivotal rods 28. The lower ngers are located and snpported sothat they' do not touch or rest on the cyiindri-c body of the roll orthe cutter bar at any time, which prevents any frictional contactwlththe roll and any clogging of the forage around the forward ends of thefingers and. against the rear end ol" the 'cutter bar.

The location of the fingers on each side of the feedl roll teeth servesan abut ment to hold the forage while the teeth are being withdrawn fromthe sain l.; and ihr-thernlore, the lower fingers, taken tngetl'ier,form a table which spans the interval between the lower feed rollendthel coltefr bar, on which table the forage travels over this interval.it 1s evident that inv event any forage drops down between or around theends of the invers and back of the cutter liar it will be h, a

carried along and will slip over the ends of the fingers, which saineare free to be .slightly elevatedto increase the space between thelingers and the 'cutter bar it' the same is necessary, Therngers 2,27 ofthe upper feed roll are similarly shaped and inversely positioned,

the 'Jrward ends lle-ing carved upward @fi/fiore around the 'torvv'artlside of the cylindric body ot' the roll and are pivot-ally suspendedfrom the transverse bar 28 located above the forward side oLt the rolland extending. between and secoredto the depending linlt plates Elli inwhich the bearings as 3'? for the opper 'eed roll are 'formed orsecured; and. the torward'ends of the upper fingers are suspended by thelegs 32l from the transverse rod Sala by means of the slotted ends 35Swhich are shaped so that the legs are adapted lo be oscillated on thepivot har. The fingers of the upper feed roll like the lingers ot' thelower roll serveias an abntnient for the forage when the 'teeth of. theopper roll are being); withdrawn theietroi'n; and the iorward ends ofthe opper fingers are extended torwardzmd terminate above the forwa rdends of the lower lingers.

rIlle series ot lingers above and below, taken together forni the-opperand lower walls out' a throat through which the forage is guided frenithe feed rolls to the cutter bar. And it is evident that as each lingeris adapted to osciliate independently of the other, the upper fingersare adapte-d to be slightly elevated to accommodate the varyingthickness ot' the forage between the rolls and that this elevation isnot necessarily roede by alhfthe iingers at the same time but adaptsitself to the varying thickness of the forage in'ditierent portions ofits width. The upper fingers, .like the lower ones, are so mounted thatthey do not at any 'time come in Contact with the cylindric body of theroll so that there never any lirictional contact therewith.

ln the modified torni of the lingers 2lb and 27@ which is shown in F 'Ythesnpporting-and suspending legs 82 and 32 are inadeinteg'ral with thelingers, and in the Samej'lgure'the upward oscillation of thev fingersis indicated in breiten lines; and it. will be understood that. it isnot essential to provide slotted supports 'for' the rear ends of the"lingers,J although the slight oscillas tion of the lingers therebypermitted isvery desirable'for the purposes. which have been mentioned.some of the benefits ot the lower lingers can be realized without theuse of the upper fingers, but the presenccoi' the upper fingers ispreferred to clean thewppcr teeth and to form the throat between the'feed rolls and the cutter ba'r,- which throat is specially de sirahiewhen vtine and light materials are being t'ed into the n'lachine.

The snpportingf/carriage tor the upper feed roll inclndesdthehorizontally disposed bracket 38` which pivotally"mounted at its'forward end on the transverse shaft 39 which is secnredon the cover 40ot' the feed hopper in front' of and parallel with the rolls, and thelinlnplates SG provided with the bearings for the upper roll which areit is .furthermore evident that pivotefl on opposite sililcs lo l'herear end of the bracket by means of lfiie transverse shaft; ell. Theupper leed roll is held downward in its normal position by the action ofthe controlling spring which is preferably coiled around the pivotal.

shaibfBQ7 one end 43 of. the spring being .seeured to the shell; end.lhe other enel, [lll being engaged Willi the braelrel. rlbe axial shaftfor the upper feed roll joue n'aledin the bearings 237 in thelililepla'lies 36, and vis guided up and down in lhc vertical slots e5formed in the side plates of lthe fr ine, and .it is evident that theupper feed roll will adapt itself to the varying thickness of 'theforage against the resist- 4ible action of the controlling spring bul;al: he same time' will be held parallel with the 'lower roll, and thesockel, le is provided in the bracket into which Athe handle l? isadapted to be entered, by mesme of which vthe bracket een be rotated onits pivot shaft .by manual ineens to lift this feed roll up Werd for any(lesireclpurpose. lurther` more, by rotatably meloni-mg the transverseshaft; llll in the ears 39, the -tcesien 01E the controlling spring canreadily be afljusnecl by {ernngthe shaft one Way or the other,

thereby varying; the pressureef' the upper feed roll for diliereritlinrls of forage, the sel; scew 391 beirifr provided to lock' the sbeftmmy desired position of mljustmeut.

The cenveyer bell is composed of the Y transverse slats 48 which areformed or se* cured on the links or"thespreckelehain L9 Whieh isVaeiaplzed lo operaie 'around the sprocket wheels 50 and 50 'which arejourrialed et the respeetiveends of the feed trough 5l. The 'lforwarclsprocket Wheel l0 is jcurnaleel in bearings 5?) which are anljuslable inthe slotted brackets 53 secured lio the sides of lhe forward eiid el lhefeed trough, and the conveyer bell, is thusmlapt ed to he arlgiusleel bye iiovement of 'these bearings in the bracket slots lo and from the endof the feed trough.l ".llie gullies or tracks trough, on which lfraekshe ends of lliclransverse Srips forming the coz'iveyer hell, 'areaclepled lo travel, uml lo 4span the vai-5H mg; interval between the'lorwaril cog 4sprocketwhcel mail the emi of' the feed trough, ihebridge plates 5T are provided, one under each side of the coave'yerbelli. The lorifle lalies are )roviflefl 'with die n b 1 I* de eri-duwwebs 56 1a the forward ends ofi' "which ere ifermcll the bearings 5,79by ineens megeve yride en the bridge plates aeross 'che ver' inginterval between ille sprocket wheel au( the or theeonveyerlrough.l/Vhst l" claim as mvjmsentzon, ariel desire to secure by LeitersFatemi, is-n l; A fodder-cutter having a case includf ing; circuler sideplatesv a resllieiilperipheral hand mede in two sections havingadjacent` ends of each delachahly hinged together, a-n oulle pipecoupled helween the other efljacent ends, with means for clamping thebend around the plate, the edges of the band he- `ing shaped lo lit theplate edges, and culling shaped to fit the plaie edges, end cutting imeans mounted im. the case. Y

3. A redder-Cutler having a ease ineludmg eireulat'side plates, aresilient peripheral haifl clamped around. the plates, an outlet pipecoupled with, the Aband, the edges of ehe bami. being' shaped to lit theplate edges l and elle bami being ouwerdly arched ntermeclielze itsedges? enel cutting means mounty eo"Y in the ease.

el. A :Felilfler--eutler having e ease ineluding circuler side pieleshaving .laerally bev eled peripheral edges, a resilient peripheral band,clamped around the 'plates sind having edge eorrue'eliens adapted loexpand to fit the plate edges an outlet pipe coupled with Ahe band andcutting ineens mounted in the esse.

A feilrler-cutler having a case includ# ing eil-exil a1' side plaies, aresilient peripheral band clahipefl around the plates and having edgecorrugations adapted lo expand to lit' the plaie edges, an millet pipecoupled with the bami, nml cutting' means nieuhlerl inthe MESE. l5. la eliodeler cellier, feed.V mechanism including a pair of rolls havinginlermeshing' serieso annular rows of teeth thereon with cleaningingersirireiposed between ehe reejpeclzive teeth rows, lille liz'ig'ersbeine pivoted in front of 'the res'per'ive rolls and hhence curvedaround the presented sides thereof and elleiedefl resi ward lo form. athroal znlfljaeehl, lao the cutl'er har, 'with means for supporlairigthe n.- `eers lree from the rolls' and the culler ber.

7., A fodder eufzfier `ee-meeheeise Yinelurliae; a pair of rolls havinginterrneshing series or annular rows of'teell'i tl1ereon,'with cutterbar. and

leaning lingers interposed between the respeetive rolls, thelingers-being pivote 'in from, of the respective rolls anfl thencelciu-yell aroimrl lhe presenle'scles thereof'- aml exleniled rearward laoform e throat leading-freni the-rolls, with means for eup- I l' `1olatrrely around 'the resented sides thereof A and thence rearwar ling'from the rolls. p

' 9.,Ajfodder" cutter feed-mechanism in-\ cluding a pair of' rolls havinintermeshin series of annular rows of teet thereon, wit l cleaninglingers interposed .between fthe re.

vspective rows, the fingers being supported independently of the rollsand extended from the -forward sides of the rolls freely toformjathroatleadaround the presented sides thereof and thence.

rearward to forpi 10. In a fodder clit'terfA ag cutter bar, an adjacentfeed roll having annular rows4 of' teeth thereon, and cleani ngersfinteri: plsed' between the res .ective IOWS, each ger being ivoted inont ofthe roll and thence exten ed around its upper 'side and forwardover the cutter bar, with means for supporting the lingers free fronrtheroll and the bar. l. 'f 11.fIn a fodder cutter, acutter bar, an adjacentfeed roll having annular rows of teeth thereon, and cleaning-fingersinter- -posed between the respective rows, each nger bein oscillatablymounted independently/f t e roll .and bar and extended from the forwardside of the roll freely-around the upper sidethereef and thence rearward40 over and adjacent to the bar.

a throat@l leading lfrom the teeth thereon and cleanlng fingersinterposed between the res ective rows, each finger being mountedind)ependent1 of the' roll and bar and extended from the orward side of'the roll freely around the upper side fthereof and thence rearward overand-adjacent to `the bar.A

13. In a fodder cutter, a cutter bar, an adjacent feed roll having.annular rows of l teeth thereonand cleaning `fingers interposed betweenthe res ective rows, each finger being'meunted in ependently of the rolland bar and extended from the forward side of the roll freely around theupper side thereof and thence rearward over and'adjacent to the bar, therear ends of the fingers 4being tapered.

14. In a fodder cutter, aI cutting mechanism, an adjacent feed hopper aframe havin slots in'its sides, a pair of locatecgl one above the otherbetween the rear end of the hopper and the cutting mechanisni,` the uper feed roll having an axial shaft' adaptedJ to be guided up and down inthe slots, a horizontally-disposed bracket transversely ivoted at itsforward'end on the cover of the hop er, and depending links transverselypivote above on oppositesides bearings below carrying the respectiveends of the' u per feed roll shaft, the transverse ing parallel withSaid feed roll S aft.

JOSEPH DICK. 'Witnessesz Josnrn Fnnasn,

to the rear end of the bracket and having` 12. a fodder cutter, uttertaf, an adjacent -feed roll having annular rows of feed rolls pivots othe bracket and the linklates be-

